U.S. patent number 4,825,550 [Application Number 07/086,776] was granted by the patent office on 1989-05-02 for knife and saw holder.
Invention is credited to John F. Pace.
United States Patent |
4,825,550 |
Pace |
May 2, 1989 |
Knife and saw holder
Abstract
A knife and saw holder has a base plate in which a disk is
slidably received in a tapered groove. A cover plate has a narrow
flared slot overlying the tapered groove. The disk is freely
slidable along the groove in the base plate. By inserting the blade
of a knife or a saw between the disk and the wall of the groove,
the blade will be retained by the wedging action of the disk due to
gravity.
Inventors: |
Pace; John F. (Harrisburg,
PA) |
Family
ID: |
22200831 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/086,776 |
Filed: |
August 19, 1987 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
30/298.4;
211/70.7; 248/316.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L
13/512 (20130101); B26B 29/06 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47L
13/512 (20060101); A47L 13/10 (20060101); B26B
29/06 (20060101); B26B 29/00 (20060101); B26B
027/00 (); A47F 005/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;30/296A,136.5 ;7/148
;211/13,65,70.7 ;248/316.3 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Yost; Frank T.
Assistant Examiner: Fridie, Jr.; Willmon
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kearns; Jerry T.
Claims
What is claimed as being new and desired to be protected by Letters
Patent of the United States is as follows:
1. A knife and saw holder, comprising:
a base plate;
at least one groove, having a tapered width, formed in said base
plate;
said groove having a first straight side wall and a second straight
sidewall extending at an acute angle to said first straight
sidewall;
a circular disk, having a diameter greater than the smallest width
of said tapered groove, freely slidably received in said
groove,
a cover plate secured to said base plate;
at least one slot formed through said cover plate;
said slot having a closed, radiused upper end portion;
said slot having an open flared bottom end disposed adjacent the
smallest width portion of said tapered groove;
said slot having longitudinal edges which partially overlie said
tapered groove for retaining said disk in said groove; and
means for mounting said base plate to a vertically upstanding wall
surface, said mounting means also serving to limit upward movement
of said disk in said tapered groove.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to knife and saw holders, and more
particularly pertains to a new and improved knife and saw holder
having a disk slidably retained in a tapered groove in a base
plate. The knife and saw holder utilizes the force of gravity to
retain knives and saws securely in position. When utilizing knives
and saws, it is important to store these instruments in a neat and
orderly way. This facilitates the location of these items, and
further maintains the quality of their cutting edges. Also, it is
important to store these instruments in a safe manner, so as to
protect young children from these items.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of knife and saw holders are known in the prior art.
A typical example of such a knife and saw holder is found in U.S.
Pat. No. 1,188,791, which issued to C. Knechtel on June 27, 1916.
This patent discloses a rack which utilizes hinged slotted plates
to mount a plurality of saws for display purposes. U.S. Pat. No.
1,661,121, which issued to G. Huson on Feb. 28, 1928, discloses a
tool chest having a slotted holder designed to carry a plurality of
saws with the blades extending in a horizontal position. The saws
are inserted between two spaced slotted elements with their handles
extending in alternating directions. The saws are vertically
stacked one above the other. U.S. Pat. No. 1,888,289, which issued
to F. Raffles on Nov. 22, 1932, discloses a holster like holder for
a saw. A pair of felt pads positioned adjacent the opening of the
holster are designed to provide a protective coating of grease or
other substance to the sides of the saw blade during each insertion
or removal of the blade from the holster. U.S. Pat. No. 2,495,866,
which issued to A. Perry et al on Jan. 31, 1950, discloses a knife
holder which has a plurality of vertically extending slanted slots
for the reception and retention of knife blades. U.S. Pat. No.
2,754,008, which issued to P. Culver on July 10, 1956, discloses a
knife rack having a plurality of horizontally spaced slots for the
reception of the blades of knives. U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,400, which
issued to J. Spier on July 18, 1972, discloses a storage unit for
flatware which has a slotted central portion for supporting a
plurality of knives in upright position. U.S. Pat. No. 3,980,608,
which issued to E. Faltersack on Sept. 14, 1976, discloses a holder
for knives which utilizes a housing having contained therein a
plurality of resilient stacked "U" shaped members. In use, a knife
is inserted between the sidewalls of two adjacent "U" shaped
members, and is retained by the weight of the "U" shaped members.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,991, which issued to H. Swanson on Dec. 27,
1977, discloses a paint brush rack for displaying paint brushes on
a pegboard supporting surface. The rack has a plurality of support
struts which extend at a forty five degree angle to the vertical
pegboard surface. These struts are provided with horizontally
extending flanges for forming a shelf for a paint brush. U.S. Pat.
No. 4,134,499, which issued to S. Joswig on Jan. 16, 1979,
discloses a holder for a plurality of tool handles of various
diameters. A horizontally extending base has a plurality of angled
grooves formed therein. A slide element secured by a projecting
flanged element in a "T" groove provided in a sidewall of each
slanted groove in the base plate slides on an incline under the
action of gravity. When a handle is inserted upwardly between the
slide elements and a sidewall of the groove and released, the
weight of the slide elements wedges the tool shaft between the
slide elements and the sidewall groove. U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,629,
which issued to E. Friis on Dec. 15, 1981, discloses a drawer
organizer for cutlery. The organizer provides a plurality of
horizontally spaced slots for the reception of various cutlery
items.
While the above mentioned devices are suited for their intended
usage, none of these devices provides a holder for saws and knives
which safely mounts these instruments in a vertically extending
condition while at the same time allowing easy removal. Further,
none of the above patents disclose a device which utilizes a disk
freely slidable under the weight of gravity, to retain a knife or
saw in position. Inasmuch as the art is relatively crowded with
respect to these various types of knife and saw holders, it can be
appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in
improvements to such knife and saw holders, and in this respect,
the present invention addresses this need and interest.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types
of knife and saw holders now present in the prior art, the present
invention provides an improved knife and saw holder. As such, the
general purpose of the present invention, which will be described
subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved
knife and saw holder which has all the advantages of the prior art
knife and saw holders and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, a representative embodiment of the concepts of the
present invention is illustrated in the drawings and makes use of a
base plate having a tapered slot in which a circular disk is freely
slidable under the weight of gravity. A cover plate having a narrow
flared channel is secured over the base plate and serves to retain
the disk in the base plate channel. As many slots and disks as
desired may be provided in the base and cover plates to allow a
retention of a plurality of knives or saws.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important
features of the invention in order that the detailed description
thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that
the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.
There are, of course, additional features of the invention that
will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject
matter of the claims appended hereto. In this respect, before
explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it
is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its
application to the details of construction and to the arrangements
of the components set forth in the following description or
illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other
embodiments and of being practiced and carried out various ways.
Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology
employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not
be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will
appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is
based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of
other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several
purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that
the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the
present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and
especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art
who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to
determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence
of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is
neither intended to define the invention of the application, which
is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to
the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new
and improved knife and saw holder which has all the advantages of
the prior art knife and saw holders and none of the
disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and
improved knife and saw holder which may be easily and efficiently
manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new
and improved knife and saw holder which is of a durable and
reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new
and improved knife and saw holder which is susceptible of a low
cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and
which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the
consuming public, thereby making such knife and saw holders
economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a
new and improved knife and saw holder which provides in the
apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages
thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages
normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new
and improved knife and saw holder which utilizes a freely slidable
disk in cooperation with the force of gravity to firmly clamp the
blades of knives or saws.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and
improved knife and saw holder which clamps the blades of knives or
saws in a vertically extending position, yet allows easy one handed
removal of the knives or saws from the holder.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a
new and improved knife and saw holder which utilizes a circular
disk in cooperation with the sidewalls of a tapered groove to
securely wedge the blades of knives and saws in a vertically
extending, on edge position.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the
various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are
pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming
a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the
invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects
attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying
drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated
preferred embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be better understood and objects other than
those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is
given to the following detailed description thereof. Such
description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the knife and saw holder of the
present invention.
FIG. 2 is an end view of the knife and saw holder of the present
invention.
FIG. 3 is an end view of the base plate of the knife and saw holder
of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an end view of the cover plate of the knife and saw
holder of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the base plate of the knife and saw
holder of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the cover plate of the knife and saw
holder of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1
thereof, a new and improved knife and saw holder embodying the
principles and concepts of the present invention and generally
designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.
More specifically, it will be noted that the first embodiment 10 of
the invention includes a base plate 12 on which a cover plate 14 is
removably secured by means of a plurality of screws 16. A plurality
of tapered grooves 18 are formed in the base plate 12. The narrow
ends of the grooves 18 are visible in FIG. 1. A plurality of
cooperating flared channel slots 22 are formed in the cover plate
14 and in an assembled condition, overlie the slots 18 in the base
plate 12. A circular disk 20 is freely slidable in each of the
grooves 18 in the base plate 12. The disks 20 each have a diameter
which precludes them from falling out the open end of the slots 18.
The disks 20 are retained in the grooves 18 by the overlying edges
of the cover plate 14. A saw 24, shown in dotted outline is secured
between the disk 20 and the sidewall of the groove 18.
The operation of the knife and saw holder of the present invention
will now be briefly described. In use, the base plate 12 is mounted
on a vertical wall. Thus, disks 20 slide down to the bottom narrow
ends of the grooves 18. The blade of a knife or saw 24 is placed
between the disk 20 and the sidewall of the groove 18 and is pushed
vertically upwardly along the flared channel 22 in groove 18.
During this operation, the disk 20 will be moved upwardly along the
tapered groove 18. Upon release of the knife or saw 24, the blade
will be clamped between the disk 20 and the sidewall of the groove
18 by the weight of the disk 20, and by the weight of the knife or
saw 24, itself.
With reference now to FIG. 2, an end view of the knife and saw
holder 10 is provided. A pair of holes 26 extend through the bottom
of the base plate 12 at an upper portion of the grooves 18. These
holes 26 serve to mount the base plate 12 on a vertically extending
wall. It is contemplated that a large headed fastener will be
utilized, which will prevent disk 20 from being pushed out of the
upper end of the groove 18. Alternatively, the grooves 18 may be
provided with a closed end wall. The use of large headed fasteners
in conjunction with holes 26 is preferred, as it allows long blades
knives to extend further upwards into the holder. It should also be
pointed out that holes 26 may extend through the cover plate 14,
thus the shaft of a fastener would extend through the cover plate
and base plate, thus preventing the disk 20 from being pushed out
the upper end of the groove 18.
With reference now to FIG. 3, an end view of the base plate 12 with
the cover plate 14 removed, is provided.
With reference now to FIG. 4, an end view of the cover plate 14,
removed from the base plate 12, is provided.
With reference now to FIG. 5, holes 26 may be seen extending
through base plate 12 at an upper portion of each groove 18. These
holes 26 are positioned such that a large headed fastener utilized
to mount the base plate 12 to a vertically extending wall will also
serve to retain disks 20 in the grooves 18. It is also pointed out
that each of the tapered grooves 18 if formed of a first vertically
extending straight sidewall and an opposed angled side wall.
With reference now to FIG. 6, a top plan view of cover plate 14,
removed from base plate 12, is provided. The construction of the
flared channel slots 22 is clearly illustrated. Each of the channel
slots 22 is provided with a closed, radiused upper end which limits
the extent of insertion of a knife or saw blade. These narrow
channel slots 22 also serve to enhance the appearance of the knife
and saw holder of the present invention, making it suitable for
mounting on a kitchen wall.
The manner of assembly and usage of the knife and saw holder of the
present invention should now be readily understood, but for
purposes of clarity, will now be again described. First of all, the
base plate is mounted on a vertically upstanding wall by a pair of
large headed fasteners through holes 26 as shown in FIG. 5. Cover
plate 14 is then secured by means of a plurality of screws 16.
Disks 20 are thus freely slidable in tapered grooves 18. In this
condition, the blade of a knife or saw 24, as shown in FIG. 1, is
inserted between the wall of the disk 20 and the sidewall of the
groove 18. The blade is then pushed upwardly along the channel 22
and the cover plate 14, thus carrying disk 20 upwardly along the
tapered groove 18. When the knife or saw 24 is in the desired
position, the handle is simply released, allowing the blade to be
clamped between the disk 20 and the sidewall of the groove 18. The
weight of the disk 20 and the weight of the knife or saw 24 enhance
the clamping effect.
The knife or saw holder 10 of the present invention may be formed
of any desired material such as wood or plastic. The disks 20 may
also be weighted, or formed of a dense material.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized
that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the
invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form,
function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed
readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all
equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and
described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by
the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications
and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is
not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and
operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable
modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within
the scope of the invention.
* * * * *